Method of controlling dental caries with streptococcus mutans mutant strains

ABSTRACT

Mutant strains have been isolated from Streptococcus mutans strain BHT-2(str) which are characterized by a single point mutation in the structural gene for the enzyme, L(+) lactate dehydrogenase, this enzyme being normally responsible for lactic acid production by this bacterium. Streptococcus mutans is believed to be a principal pathogen in dental caries, a disease characterized by the dissolution of the mineral portion of the tooth caused by acid resulting from the interaction of bacteria on the tooth surface with carbohydrates. The mutant strains of the invention will be found useful as prototype nonvirulent effector strains in controlling the incidence and severity of dental caries.

BASIS OF WORK

The invention described and claimed in this application has beendeveloped in whole or in part under NIDR Grant No. DE04529 of theNational Institute of Health, Department of Health, Education andWelfare.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to certain mutant strains of Streptococcus mutansstrain BHT-2(str), their mutagenesis and isolation from the parentstrain, and their use as an effector strain in the replacement therapyof dental caries.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

Dental clinical investigators have long wrestled with the problem ofpreventing, or at least alleviating, dental caries, a diseasecharacterized by the dissolution of the mineral portion of the tooth. Ifpermitted to go unchecked, the disease ultimately attacks and penetratesthe pulp chamber of the tooth, resulting in pain and loss of viabilityof the tooth which may necessitate costly repair of the tooth, or evenextraction.

A clean tooth will not decay; however, it is also virtually impossibleto keep one's teeth continuously clean. And despite the most vigorouscleaning regimen, carious lesions do occur.

Over the years, various methods have been developed and tried, withvarying results, to prevent, or at least alleviate, the problem ofdental caries. The application of alkali metal or tin flourides to theteeth topically, in drinking water, and in dentifrice preparationscontaining these flouride compounds which release flouride ions in wateris known to be somewhat beneficial. However, it has also been discoveredthat these compounds tend to lose their effectiveness upon aging.Moreover, flouride reduces caries at best by only about 20% when used intoothpaste.

It has also been proposed to prevent dental caries by coating the toothsurfaces with various polymeric materials. However, at least one ofthese proposals suffers from at least two drawbacks. The teeth mustfirst be etched with phosphoric acid; and, the treatment has been foundto be effective only in young children who have not yet developed dentalcaries.

The formation of carious lesions in teeth, it has been observed, isapparently caused by acids produced by bacteria, e.g. the interactionbetween carbohydrates, notably sucrose, and bacteria on the toothsurfaces, as an end product of their metabolism. A variety of specificorganisms have been described as etiologic agents of dental caries,notable among which are bacteria of the genus Streptococcus. VariousStreptococci have been isolated from the oral cavity and have beenlinked to the formation of dental caries in experimental animals.

Antibiotics such as penicillin have been suggested for reducing caries,and dentifrices containing penicillin have been tested and found to beeffective. However, the antibiotics are not selective in the destructionof oral bacteria and destroy both the useful and harmful bacteria in themouth indescriminately, resulting in microbial imbalance in the mouthwhich can have serious consequences.

A number of vaccines have been proposed for immunization against dentalcaries in animals. Various of these proposals are summarized in U.S.Pat. No. 3,879,545 issued to Gaffar and Kestenbaum for "Vaccines for thePrevention of Dental Caries", issued on Apr. 22, 1972. As disclosedtherein, the active ingredient of the vaccine is a polyfructan (orlevan) polysaccharide produced by elaboration of certain strains ofStreptococcus, particularly Streptococcus strain SS2.

There are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,931,398 and 3,993,747,methods of immunization against dental caries employing as the activeingredient the polysaccharide of U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,545, or thepolyglucan elaboration product described therein from Streptococcusmutans, or the enzyme involved in the synthesis of these polysaccharidesselected from among levansucrase (fructosyl transferase) anddextransucrase (glucosyl transferase).

A large body of evidence has implicated Streptococcus mutans as aprincipal pathogen in dental caries of both rodents and humans.Fitzgerald, R. J. and P. H. Keyes. 1960. Demonstration of the EtiologicRole of Streptococci in Experimental Caries in the Hamster. J. Am. Dent.Ass. 61: 9-13; Gibbons, R. J., K. S. Berman, K. S. Knoetter, and B.Kapsimalis. 1966. Dental Caries and Alveolar Bone Loss in GnotobioticRats Infected With Capsule Forming Streptococci of Human Origin. Archs.oral Biol. 11: 549-559; Krasse, B. 1966. Human Streptococci andExperimental Caries in Hamsters. Archs. oral Biol. 11: 429-436; andZinner, D. D., J. M. Jablon, A. P. Aron, and M. S. Saslaw. 1965.Experimental Caries Induced in Animals by Streptococci of Human Origin.Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. 11: 429-436; deStoppelaar, J. D., J. van Houte,and O. Backer Dirks. 1969. The Relationship Between ExtracellularPolysaccharide Producing Streptococci and Smooth Surface Caries in13-year-old Children. Caries Res. 3: 190-199; Krasse, B., H. V. Jordan,S. Edwardsson, I. Svensson, and L. Trell. 1968. The Occurrence ofCertain "Caries Inducing" Streptococci in Human Dental Plaque Material.Archs. oral Biol. 13: 911-918; and Littleton, N. W., S. Kakehashi, andR. J. Fitzgerald. 1970. Recovery of Specific "Caries-Inducing"Streptococci From Carious Lesions in The Teeth of Children. Archs. oralBiol. 15: 461-463.

The characteristic features of Streptococcus mutans which appear likelyto account for its cariogenic potential include not only its ability toaccumulate on tooth enamel, but also its ability to produce, viafermentative processes, large amounts of lactic acid. Gibbons, R. J. andR. J. Fitzgerald. 1969. Dextran-induced agglutination of Streptococcusmutans and its potential role in the formation of microbial dentalplaques. J. Bacteriol. 98: 341-346; Makinen, K. K. 1972. The role ofsucrose and other sugars in the development of dental caries: a review.Int. Dent. J. 22: 362-386; Drucker, D. B. and T. H. Melville. 1968.Fermentation end-products of cariogenic and non-cariogenic Streptococci.Archs. oral Biol. 13: 563-570; Jordan, H. V. 1965. Bacteriologicalaspects of experimental dental caries. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 131:905-912; and Tanzer, J. M., M. I. Krichevsky, and P. H. Keyes. 1969. Themetabolic fate of glucose catabolized by a washed stationary phasecaries-conducive Streptococcus. Caries Res. 3: 167-177.

In recent years, considerable success has been achieved in preventingand controlling certain bacterial infections by purposefully colonizingsusceptible host tissues with non-virulent analogs of disease-causingmicroorganisms. Davidson, J. N. and D. C. Hirsh. 1976. BacterialCompetition as a Means of Preventing Neonatal Diarrhea in Pigs. Infect.Immun. 13: 1773-1774; Shinefield, H. R., J. C. Ribble, and M. Boris.1971. Bacterial Interference Between Strains of Staphylococcus aureus,1960-1970. Amer. J. Dis. Child. 121: 148-152. The basis of thisphenomenon, termed bacterial interference, is in no single casecompletely understood, but in general terms appears to involve acompetitive and/or antibiotic action of the non-virulent strain, theso-called effector strain, on its pathogenic counterpart. Thus, for anorganism to serve as an effector strain in the replacement therapy of abacterial infection, it must be (a) non-virulent itself, and (b) able tocompete successfully with its pathogenic counterpart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Mutant strains have been isolated from Streptococcus mutans strainBHT-2(str) following mutagenesis and plating on glucose tetrazoliummedium characterized by a single point mutation in the structural genefor the enzyme, L(+) lactate dehydrogenase (LDH); gram positive,spheroidal cells occurring in pairs and chains; and by bright redcolonies relatively larger in size than colonies of the parent strain onglucose tetrazolium medium.

The mutant strains, according to the invention, when compared to theparent strain, in the case of resting cell suspensions, produces lesstotal titratable acid when incubated in the presence of glucose; make nodetectable lactic acid when incubated in the presence of glucose in thecase of resting and growing cultures; adhere better to hydroxyapitite;and accumulate more plaque when grown in the presence of sucrose.

Quite advantageously, the characteristics of the isolated mutant strainprovide a useful effector strain for the prevention and alleviation ofdental caries in animals.

Two cultures, typical of the mutant strains of the invention which havebeen isolated, have been deposited with the American Type CultureCollection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852, and areidentified by deposit numbers ATCC31341 and ATCC 31377; these culturesare further identified as Streptococcus mutans JH140; and Streptococcusmutans JH145.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTIONORGANISMS AND MEDIA

Streptococcus mutans strain BHT-2(str), a spontaneous streptomycinresistant derivative of Streptococcus mutans strain BHT, was isolatedaccording to the methods of Lederberg described in J. Bacteriol. 59:211-215 (1950), using trypticase soy agar containing 1 mg/mlstreptomycin sulfate as the selective medium.

Glucose tetrazolium plates were prepared according to Lederberg'smethods [J. Bacteriol. 56: 695 (1948)], and contained 25.5 g antibioticmedium #2, 50 mg 1,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride, and 1% glucose(w/v) per liter of medium.

Strains of bacteria involved in this invention were maintained in 50%glycerol stabs at -20° C., and streaked on glucose tetrazolium mediumweekly to check contamination and reversion and to serve as a source ofinocula.

MUTAGENESIS

Exponentially growing cells of Streptococcus mutans strain BHT-2(str)cultured in Todd-Hewitt broth containing 0.5% glucose, were harvested bycentrifugation and then washed twice in 0.1 M phosphate buffered saline(PBS, pH 7.0). These cells were then resuspended in PBS, pH 7.0, asbefore cultured, to a density of approximately 1.2 × 10⁸ colony-formingunits (c.f.u.) per ml.

0.015 ml of ethylmethane sulfonate was then added per ml of cellsuspension and vortexed into solution, according to usual techniques.After 60 minutes incubation in a 37° C. water bath, mutagenesis wasstopped by diluting the cell suspension with 9 volumes of PBS, pH 7.0.The cells were then harvested by centrifugation as before andresuspended in 10 ml of Todd-Hewitt broth containing 0.5% glucose. Theculture was then grown to saturation overnight.

ISOLATION OF MUTANTS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS

Streptococcus mutans strain BHT-2(str) produces small white colonieswhen incubated in candle jars on glucose tetrazolium medium. Aftermutagenesis with ethylmethane sulfonate, however, as above described, asmall number (ca. 1% frequency) of red mutant colonies were observedamong the background of white, wild-type appearing colonies. Thesemutant colonies were isolated and purified by streaking on glucosetetrazolium medium.

Of the mutant strains isolated, those found useful in accordance withthe invention, are characterized by their bright red color and largercolony size relative to the parent strain. The cells, moreover, areobserved to be gram positive, spheroidal, and occur in pairs and chains.Other parameters that distinguish the desired mutant strains are thegrowth properties exhibited by the terminal pH attained by growing andnon-growing cells of the strains, and the amount of lactic acid producedduring fermentation of glucose. These results are tabulated below for atypically desired mutant.

    ______________________________________                                                                           Lactic Acid                                Strain Terminal pH Cell Yield (O.D. 580)                                                                         (mM)                                       ______________________________________                                        Parent 3.82        2.4             49.8                                       Mutant 4.30        2.4             <1.0                                       JH 140                                                                        ______________________________________                                    

Terminal pH was determined by subculturing strains (1:100) inTodd-Hewitt broth containing 1% glucose. After 48 hours incubation incandle jars at 37° C., the absorbance at 580 nm and pH of the cultureswas determined. Lactic acid concentration of the subculture liquors wasdetermined by gas-liquid chromatography. Salanitro, J. P. and P. A.Muirhead. 1975. Quantitative method for the gas chromatographic analysisof short-chain monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids in fermentationmedia. Appl. Microbiol. 29: 374-381.

As shown in the table, the mutant strain of the invention wassignificantly less effective in reducing the pH of the culture liquorthan its parent. Cell yields for the various strains tested under theseconditions were comparable. The apparent growth rates did not differsignificantly, as has been previously reported. Hillman, J. D. 1977.Lactate Dehydrogenase Mutants of Streptococcus mutans, J. Dent. Res. 56:B88. The amount of lactic acid by the mutant strain during fermentationof glucose is seen from the table to be not detectable.

Similar differences in terminal pH attained were also observed whenusing limiting (0.2% w/v) glucose concentrations; and when washed,resting cell suspensions were incubated for 48 hours in fermentationbuffer containing limiting or excess glucose. Yamada, T. and J.Carlsson. 1975. Regulation of Lactate Dehydrogenase and Change ofFermentation Products in Streptococci. J. Bacteriol. 124: 55-61.

The pH of cultures prepared as above, except that a differentmetabolizable carbon source is incorporated in the medium, is found tobe higher than that of the parent strain. Those compounds foundmetabolized in addition to glucose include amygdalin, cellobiose,dextran, esculin, fructose, galactose, inulin, lactose, maltose,mannitol, mannose, melibiose, raffinose, ribose, salicin, sorbitol,sucrose, trehalose, and pyruvate. The following compounds did not causea reduction in pH: adonitol, dulcitol glycerol, glycogen, inositol,melezitose, rhamnose, starch, xylose, lactate, lysine, formate,fumarate, and cysteine.

When mutants of the invention are incubated in the presence of sucrose,extracellular glucan is produced. The end products of glucosefermentation are significant amounts of formate and ethanol.Acetylmethyl carbinol is also present in considerable amounts; however,only a small amount of acetate is present. There is probably at leastone other unidentified compound.

The work of Carlsson and co-workers and Brown and Patterson clearlyindicate that Streptococcus mutans possesses one or more pathwaysalternate to lactic acid production for the dissimilation of pyruvate.Carlsson, J. and C. J. Griffith. 1974. Fermentation Products andBacterial Yields in Glucose-Limited and Nitrogen-Limited Cultures ofStreptococci. Archs. oral Biol. 19: 1105-1109; Yamada, T. and J.Carlsson. 1975. Regulation of Lactate Dehydrogenase and Change ofFermentation Products in Streptococci. J. Bacteriol. 124: 55-61; andBrown, A. T. and C. E. Patterson. 1973. Ethanol Production and AlcoholDehydrogenase Activity in Streptococcus mutans. Arch. oral Biol. 18:127-131. The other principal end-products which have been observed areformate, ethanol, and acetate, suggesting the probable existence of aphosphoroclastic (pyruvate formatelyase) pathway. Carlsson, J. and C. J.Griffith, above.

OTHER MUTAGENS USEFUL IN THE PRACTICE OF THE INVENTION

LDH-deficient mutants which appear phenotypically similar to themutagen-induced mutant JH140, can be obtained by use of mutagens such asultraviolet light and nitrous acid. The technique for their use isdescribed in a publication entitled Experiments in Molecular Genetics(1972), authored by Jeffrey Miller, Coldsprings Harbor Laboratory,Coldsprings Harbor, New York.

Although mutagens are preferred in the practice of the invention, theisolation on glucose tetrazolium of a spontaneous LDH-deficient mutant(ca. 10⁻⁵ frequency), which appears phenotypically similar to theethylmethane sulfate-induced mutant, has also been accomplished.

ACID PRODUCTION BY RESTING CELLS.

One liter batch cultures of Streptococcus mutans strain BHT-2(str) andthe mutant isolate JH140 were grown aerobically standing in Todd-Hewittbroth containing 0.5% glucose at 37° C. overnight. Cells were harvestedby centrifugation at 4° C. and washed twice with 1 mM potassiumphosphate buffer containing 50 mM KCl. The pellets were resuspended to afinal volume of 100 ml in buffer, and stored at 4° C. until used.

Fermentation of glucose by the washed cell suspensions were carried outwith constant rapid stirring in a 150 ml closed reaction vesselmaintained at 37° C. by a circulating water jacket. The pH wasmaintained at the desired level, as indicated below, by a model 162Automatic pH Controller (New Brunswick Scientific Co., New Brunswick,N.J.) with N NaOH serving as the titrant. After 30 min of temperatureand pH equilibration, a 1 ml sample of cell suspension was removed as azero time control. 0.2 ml of 1.2 N H₂ SO₄ was added to this sample andvortexed before the addition of 0.01 ml of 20% (w/v) glucose. Thefermentation was initiated by the addition of 1 ml of 20% glucose to theremaining 99 ml of cell suspension. The amount of titrant added wasmonitored at 1 min intervals, and at varying times 1 ml samples of thecell suspension were removed and added to vials containing 0.2 ml of 1.2N H₂ SO₄. The reaction was allowed to proceed until the rate of baseconsumption reached a plateau. The samples were stored frozen at -20° C.until glucose concentrations could be determined (glucose oxidasemethod, Sigma Chemical Co.). Dry weights of the cell suspensions weremeasured as described by Carlsson (J. Gen. Microbiol., 67: 69-76 (1971)and were between 5.4 and 6.5 mg/ml. The results are tabulated below.

    __________________________________________________________________________    pH                                                                            7                6          5                                                            MUTANT     MUTANT     MUTANT                                       BHT-2      JH140 BHT-2                                                                              JH140 BHT-2                                                                              JH140                                        __________________________________________________________________________    N NaOH                                                                              20.0 ± .2                                                                       16.6 ± .8                                                                        20.0 ± .2                                                                       13.5 ± .8                                                                        14.8 ± .2                                                                       8.9 ± .2                                  consumed                                                                      (μmol/ml)                                                                  Glucose                                                                             10.4 ± .1                                                                       10.4 ± .1                                                                        9.9 ± .2                                                                        10.1 ± .1                                                                        10.2 ± .2                                                                       9.7 ± .0                                  consumed                                                                      (μmol/ml)                                                                  Acid  1.9  1.6   2.0  1.3   1.5  0.9                                          produced:                                                                     glucose                                                                       consumed                                                                      __________________________________________________________________________

As shown in the table, the amount of glucose consumed in order to reachthe plateau was approximately the same for both the parent and mutantstrains at all pH values tested. However, the ratio of acid produced(measured as the amount of N NaOH consumed) to glucose consumed differedsignificantly between the strains. At pH 6 and 7, the data obtained forthe parent strain approached the theoretical value of 2 for a homolacticfermentation. At pH 5, this value dropped somewhat, suggesting a(partial) shift to a less acidogenic pyruvate-degrading pathway.

The values for the mutant decreased significantly with each successivedecrease in pH, and were ca. 80, 70, and 60% of the parental values atpH 7, 6, and 5, respectively. At pH 4.0 the reaction using the parentalstrain proceeded, but at a rate too slow for meaningful data to beobtained. At this pH the reaction using the mutant strain did notproceed, in agreement with the earlier finding that 4.3 was the terminalpH attained by a growing culture.

The rates of glucose consumption observed were always greater in theparent than in the mutant. In addition, it was noted that the rates ofboth acid production and glucose consumption by the parent showedhyperbolic kinetics, whereas the mutant displayed sigmoid kinetics.

ENZYME ASSAYS

Crude, cell-free extracts were prepared from 100 ml of the overnightcultures grown in Todd-Hewitt broth containing 0.5% glucose. The cellswere harvested by centrifugation at 4° C. and resuspended in 1/50thvolume of 0.05 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.2) containing 0.02 Mfructose 1,6-diphosphate. Cells were broken by one passage through aFrench press at 20,000 p.s.i. and cell debris was removed bycentrifugation at 15,000 × g for 30 min. The resulting supernatantsserved as the crude extracts. Extracts were kept on ice and enzymeactivities measured within 3 hours. The results are tabulated below.

    ______________________________________                                        Enzyme (sp act; U/mg of protein)*                                             Strain      LDH       PGI      FDA     PK                                     ______________________________________                                        Parent      .693      .086     .031    .049                                   Mutant      .011      .166     .072    .109                                   ______________________________________                                         *The assay for L(+) lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was that             described by Brown and Wittenberger (J. Bacteriol., 110:604-615 (1972).       Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI). Fraenkel, D. G. D. Kotlarz, and H. Buc.       1973. Two Fructose 6-Phosphate Kinase Activities in Escherichia coli. J.      Biol. Chem., 248:4865-4866; fructose diphosphate aldolase (FDA). Maitra,      P. K. and Z. Lobo 1971. A Kinetic Study of Glycolytic Enzyme Synthesis in     Yeast. J. Biol. Chem., 246: 475-488; and pyruvate kinase (PK). Yamada, T.     and J. Carlsson. 1975. Glucose-6-Phosphate-Dependent Pyruvate Kinase in       Streptococcus mutans. J. Bacteriol., 124: 562-563. Protein was measured       according to Lowry etal, using lyophilized bovine serum albumin as            standard. Lowry, O. H., N. J. Rosebrough, A. L. Farr, and R. J. Randall.      1951. Protein Measurement With the Folin Phenol Reagent. J. Biol. Chem.,      193: 265-275.                                                            

As seen from the table, cell free extracts of the mutant strain provedto have only ca 1% of parental levels of L(+)-LDH activity. Mixedwild-type and mutant extracts gave additive activities.Spectrophotometric assays of the other glycolytic enzymes revealed a 2-3fold higher level of specific activities in the mutants compared to theparent in all of the strains tested.

GENETIC STUDIES

The nature of the genetic lesions in the mutants were analyzed byreversion studies. Following ethylmethane sulfonate mutagenesis, aculture of the JH140 was grown out overnight at 30° C. in Todd-Hewittbroth containing 0.5% glucose as earlier described. A sample of theculture was appropriately diluted, i.e. to about 500 c.f.u./ml. andspread on glucose tetrazolium plates. After 3 days incubation in candlejars at 30° C., wild-type appearing colonies were picked from among thebackground of red mutant colonies. After purification, single mutantcolonies were replica-streaked onto glucose tetrazolium plates andincubated at 30° and 42° C. A number of isolates were obtained whichshowed a temperature-sensitive phenotype; i.e., they produced whitecolonies at 30° C. and red colonies at 42° C. A culture of one of thoserevertants was grown at 30° C. and crude, cell-free extracts prepared asbefore described, for enzyme assay, except that the assay was modifiedfor heat lability studies. A sample of the extract containing 100-300 μgof protein was added to 1.1 ml of 0.05 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH6.2), placed in a 55° C. water bath for varying times, chilled in ice,and returned to 25° C. Then 1.0 ml samples were assayedspectrophotometrically for remaining activity by the addition of 10.0μmol sodium pyruvate, 0.1 μmol NADH and 20 μmol fructose1,6-diphosphate; the rate of change in absorbance at 340 nm wasrecorded.

Untreated samples of extracts from the revertant contained 11.5% of theparental levels of L(+)-LDH activity. However, when samples of theseextracts were pre-treated by heating in a water bath, a markeddifference in enzyme thermolability was seen. Incubation for 9 min. at55° C. destroyed only 10% of the enzyme activity present in extracts ofthe parent strain, whereas the identical treatment for 9 min., of anextract of the Mutant JH140 revertant destroyed over 90% of the LDHactivity present.

Reversion studies, moreover, indicate that the observed phenotypes ofthe LDH-deficient mutants are due to single genetic lesions, believed tobe point mutations in the structural gene for LDH. Screening of over 100biochemical and physiological properties using the rapid identificationsystem of Savitt et al. revealed no differences between parent andmutants, further confirming that a single gene defect is involved.Newman, M. G., S. S. Socransky, E. D. Savitt, M. Krichevsky, M. A.Listganten, and W. Lai. 1974. Characteristics of Bacteria Isolated FromPeriodontosis. J. Dent. Res. 53 Abstract 325, at p. 136.

The following examples which illustrate certain embodiments of theinvention will aid in understanding thereof.

EXAMPLE 1

As an indication of the mutant's potential for competing with thewild-type parent strain in the oral cavity, their ability to adhere tohydroxyapatite and accumulate plaque in vitro was examined. The affinityof strain BHT-2(str) and the isolated mutant (JH140) to untreated andsaliva-treated hydroxyapatite was determined.

Cultures of the strains tested were grown overnight in trypticase soybroth containing 0.2% glucose and 1 mCi/ml ³ H-thymidine. Cells wereharvested by centrifugation, washed twice in 1mM sodium phosphate buffer(pH 6.2) containing 50mM KCl, 1mM CaCl₂, and 0.1 mM MgCl₂, andresuspended in buffer to give 2.2 × 10⁷ c.f.u./ml. 40 mg of washedspheroidal hydroxyapatite (BDH Biochemicals, Poole, England) were addedto 1.5 ml of cell suspension and incubated for 1 hour at 25° C. withconstant agitation. After 90 minutes, cells remaining unattached tohydroxyapatite were removed by repeated washing. The number of attachedcells was determined by liquid scintillation counting of apatitesamples, compared to controls. Saliva treatment entailed incubation of40mg of apatite with 1.5 ml of heat-inactivated, clarified whole salivafor 24 hours at room temperature. The results are tabulated below:

    __________________________________________________________________________    Untreated H.A.        Saliva-Treated H.A.                                           No. of          No. of                                                        Attached                                                                             % of Total                                                                             Attached                                                                             % of Total                                             Cells ± S.E.                                                                      Cells    Cells ± S.E.                                                                      Cells                                            Strain                                                                              (×10.sup.6)                                                                    Attached                                                                            p* (×10.sup.6)                                                                    Attached                                                                            p*                                         __________________________________________________________________________    Parent                                                                              1.47 ± 0.03                                                                        7.3 ± 0.2                                                                       -- 0.90 ± 0.04                                                                       4.6 ± 0.3                                                                        --                                         JH140 2.14 ± 0.07                                                                       11.6 ± 0.5                                                                       <.02                                                                             1.46 ± 0.02                                                                       8.1 ± 0.2                                                                        <0.1                                       __________________________________________________________________________     *T. test.                                                                

As shown in the table, when 2.2 ×10⁷ washed cells in 1.5 ml of mMphosphate buffer were exposed to 40 mg of hydroxyapatite, significantlymore mutant than wild-type cells become attached. The differences becamemore apparent, being some 2-fold, when the hydroxyapatite was firsttreated for 24 hours with clarified whole saliva.

Overnight cultures of the parent and mutant strain were subcultured1:100 in Todd-Hewitt broth containing 5% sucrose. Sterile microscopeslides were immersed aseptically in the cultures, and allowed toincubate for 24 hours in candle jars at 37° C. The slides were thenremoved and gently washed with distilled water to remove tenuouslyabsorbed plaque. The differences observed were quite apparent; themutant formed more plaque on the glass slide than did the parent strain.

EXAMPLE 2

This example shows that mutant strains of the invention are lessvirulent than the parent-strain.

Human tooth fragments were covered with parafilm wax leaving exposed a6.2mm² enamel window. The fragments were suspended from wires to assistin their handling.

Overnight cultures were prepared of Streptococcus mutants strain BHT-2and JH145 (phenotypically the same as mutant JH140 except for a lowerfrequency of reversion) in trypticase-soy broth containing 2% sucroseand 200 μgm/ml Streptomycin sulfate. These cultures were thensubcultured 1:100 in the same media.

The fragments were then immersed in these culture media and incubated at37° C. anaerobically. At 24 hour intervals, the tooth fragments weregently transferred to fresh medium and reincubated.

After only ten days white spots characteristic of early dental carieswere noticed beneath the plaque accumulated on the tooth fragmentsexposed to the Streptococcus mutans strains BHT-2(str). However, bycomparison, even after 21 days exposure, the plaque accumulated by thetooth fragments exposed to the mutant isolate of the invention producedno apparent pathology.

EXAMPLE 3

This example demonstrates the in vivo cariogenicity of Streptococcusmutant strain BHT-2(str) and the mutant isolate (JH145) according to theinvention in conventional rats.

Three Sprague-Dawley mother rats each with a litter of 12, three-day oldpups were obtained from The Charles River Breeding Laboratories, Inc.,Wilmington, MA. The animals were sustained on a vitamin fortified diet2000, 54-56% sucrose, no fluoride, deionized water. Keyes, P. H. and H.V. Jordan. 1964. Periodontal Lesions In Syrian Hamsters. III FindingsRelated To An Infectuous and Transmissable Component. Archs, oral Biol.9:377-400; Fitzgerald, R. J., H. V. Jordan, H. R. Stanley. 1960Experimental Caries & Gingieal Pathogen Changes in Gnotobiotic Rats, J.Dent Res. 39:925-935.

At the pup ages of 6, 9, and 12 days, the mothers were each screened forStreptococcus mutans by swabbing the teeth and plating on Mitrissalivarius agar (MS) and Mitris salivarius bacetracin (MSB) agar. Fecalsamples were also obtained and suspended in 3 ml of 0.1M PBS (pH 7.0)and streaked out on MS and MSB plates. These tests proved negative;i.e., the mothers have no indigenous Strep. mutans. Accordingly, thepups also do not have Strep, mutans.

At the age of 21 days, the pups were weaned. They were then randomizedinto three groups of twelve.

Innoculums were prepared of the Strep. mutans strain BHT-2 (str) and themutant isolate (JH145) by first growing up 10 ml. cultures inTodd-Hewitt broth containing 0.5% glucose to saturation. The cultureswere centrifuged amd the cells were resuspended in 0.1M PBS (pH 7.0) toa concentration of about 10¹⁰ c.f.u./ml.

Accurate innoculum concentration was then determined, according to usualtechnique, by plating out - 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁹ dilutions in PBS (pH7.0)/glucose tetrazolium plates, after which they were incubated at 37°C. in candle jars for 48 hours. The results are indicated below:

    ______________________________________                                               10.sup.-6                                                                             10.sup.-7 10.sup.-8 10.sup.-9                                  ______________________________________                                        BHT-2    268       55        2       0                                        JH145    280       56        2       0                                        ______________________________________                                    

Initial innoculum was determined to be 3 × 10⁹ cells/ml.

Using an Eppendorf pipet, and Group I of the twelve pups as the controlgroup, 0.1 ml PBS (pH 7.0) was injected into the oral cavity of eachrat. Group 2 and 3 rats were injected with innoculums BHT-2 and JH145respectively.

The animals were reinjected with the respective cultures 4 days later byinnoculums prepared as before described.

    ______________________________________                                               10.sup.-6                                                                             10.sup.-7 10.sup.-8 10.sup.-9                                  ______________________________________                                        BHT-2    367       44        4       0                                        JH145    263       22        1       0                                        ______________________________________                                    

The innoculums contained 4 × 10⁹ cells/ml. and 3 × 10⁹ cells/ml.,respectively.

Fecal samples from each of the three groups were randomly collected,suspended in 3 mls. 0.1M PBS (pH 7.0) and streaked onglucose/tetrazolium streptomycin sulfate (1 mg/ml) to check forinfection. These tests proved negative for Group I and positive forGroups 2 and 3.

After 14 weeks of infection, 7 of the animals from each group weresacrificed. These animals were decapitated, the heads defleshed and themaxillary and mandibular jaws of each animal separated according tousual techniques.

Three maxillary teeth (right) were removed from each rat's jaw andground with 3 mls. PBS (pH 7.0) in a tissue grinder. Dilutions of 10⁻⁴,10⁻⁵, 10⁻⁶ from each animal was plated out on glucose tetrozoliumcontaining streptomycin sulfate. The plates were then incubated at 37°C. in candle jars for 48 hours, after which the colony count wasdetermined in accordance with usual technique. The results are tabulatedbelow:

    ______________________________________                                        GROUP   CULTURE    ANIMAL#    10.sup.-4                                                                            10.sup.-5                                                                          10.sup.-6                           ______________________________________                                        #1      PBS        NO STREP MUTANS                                                    CONTROL                                                               #2      BHT-2      5          121    12   2                                   "       "          6          ˜400                                                                           38   5                                   "       "          7          286    28   3                                   "       "          8          167    12   2                                   "       "          9          ˜400                                                                           43   2                                   "       "          10         339    34   4                                   "       "          11         325    27   3                                   #3      JH145      5          132    13   1                                   "       "          6           7     2    0                                   "       "          7          210    18   2                                   "       "          8          109    7    1                                   "       "          9           66    5    0                                   "       "          10         130    11   1                                   "       "          11          46    4    0                                   ______________________________________                                    

The remaining jaws labeled as above indicated, were removed from thebeetle colony in which they had been placed and suspended in 95% ethanolfor 2 hours. The jaws were then removed, rinsed with d water and thensuspended in 50/50 solution of ammonium hydroxide for ten days. The jawswere then removed, rinsed with deionized (d) water and immersed inxylene for 2 hrs. They were then prepared for scoring smooth surfacecaries by pressue air drying, after which the teeth were scored by themethod described by P. H. Keyes J. Dent. Res. 37:1088-1099 (1958). Theteeth were prepared for scoring deep fissure caries by first immersingthem in a saturated solution of Nuclear Fast Red (small amount 10%Neutral Formalin to inhibit bacterial growth) for a period of 48 hours.The teeth were scored using 40x magnification. The maxillary andmandibular molars were hemisectioned in a mesiodistal sagittal planefreehand beneath a slow drip of water with a steel disc saw.

    __________________________________________________________________________    MEAN, STANDARD DEVIATION & STANDARD ERROR                                     TOTALS OF SULCAL, MORSAL, BUCCO-LINGUAL                                       AND PROXIMAL LESIONS                                                                                 BUCCO-                                                 STRAIN     SULCAL                                                                              MORSAL                                                                              LINGUAL                                                                             PROXIMAL                                         __________________________________________________________________________          MEAN 79.57 1.86  45.42 0.286                                            BHT-2 S.D. 22.64 1.86  23.26 0.76                                                   S.E. 8.56  0.70  8.79  0.29                                                   MEAN 37.0  1.71  11.43 0.286                                            CONTROL                                                                             S.D. 10.92 2.14  10.32 0.49                                                   S.E. 4.13  0.808 3.90  0.184                                                  MEAN 47.71 0.57  17.0  1.57                                             JH145 S.D. 22.47 0.97  8.60  1.10                                                   S.E. 8.49  0.36  3.25  0.42                                             __________________________________________________________________________

Statistical analysis (T-Test) of the above data showed a highlysignificant variance between the BHT-2 strains and either JH145 or thecontrol (p<0.5%). The differences between JH145 and the control were notstatistically significant. Thus, the cariogenic ability of the mutant tocause decay is comparable to the control. BHT-2 is highly cariogeniccompared to the mutant and control.

EXAMPLE 4

This example demonstrates the in vivo cariogenicity of Streptococcusmutans strain BHT-2 (str), as compared to the JH145 mutant isolate, ingerm free rats.

Nine germ free rats (Sprague-Dawley, Forsyth Dental Clinic, Boston, MA.)maintained in a germ free Reynier Isolator on diet 2000 (sterilized bygamma radiation, water sterilized by autoclaving) were infected byswabbing their mouths with a pure culture of the mutant isolate. Theculture (5 mls) had been grown overnight in Todd-Hewitt broth (0.5%glucose), centrifuged and taken up in 0.1 M PBS (pH 7.0) to give adensity of about 10⁹ colony-forming units per ml (c.f.u./ml). Thecultures were placed in a sealed ampule, the outside of which wassterilized by spraying with 5% (w/v) peracetic acid before introductioninto the isolator.

Random fecal samples were collected from three of the animals to insureinfection, and check for contamination. The fecal samples were eachsuspended in 3 ml. PBS (pH 7.0) as before described, and streaked onglucose tetrozolium plates. The plates were then incubated at 37° C. for48 hrs. in a candle jar. These tests proved negative for contaminationand showed the rats to be infected.

After two weeks of infection, fecal sample quantitations were done oneach animal. 5-10 mg. of fresh fecal sample from each animal was weighedout, transferred to a sterile tissue grinder and suspended in anequivalent amount of sterile 0.1M PBS (pH 7.0), i.e. 5 mg-5 ml. One ml.samples of dilutions 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁸ (initial dilution from T.G.=10-³) wereplated out on glucose tetrazolium plates, after which the plates wereincubated at 37° C. for 48 hrs. in candle jars.

The colony count for fecal sample quantitations is tabulated below:

    ______________________________________                                               DILUTIONS                                                              ANIMAL   10.sup.-4 10.sup.-5                                                                              10.sup.-6                                                                           10.sup.-7                                                                           10.sup.-8                             ______________________________________                                        1        TMTC*     223      11    1     0                                     2        "         70       10    2     0                                     3        "         210      21    15    0                                     4        "         250      27    13    0                                     5        143       9        0     0     0                                     6        TMTC      215      44    1     0                                     7        150       10       1     0     0                                     8        TMTC      24       6     1     0                                     9        "         72       4     2     0                                     ______________________________________                                         *TMTC = Too many too count.                                              

Ten germ free rats as above, maintained in a germ free isolator on diet2000, were infected with a pure culture of BHT-2, this being obtained asabove described.

Random fecal samples were collected and streaked as before to check forinfection and contamination. The test proved negative for contaminationand positive for infection.

After two weeks infection, fecal sample quantitation was done on eachanimal. The colony count for the 10⁻⁶ dilution is indicated below. Otherdilutions were not prepared as this dilution proved satisfactory forcolony count and was statically significant.

    ______________________________________                                        Animal 1      2      3   4   5    6   7   8    9    10                        ______________________________________                                        Dilution                                                                      (10.sup.-6)                                                                          140    153    87  78  102  65  85  145  106  250                       ______________________________________                                    

After 8 weeks of infection 3 animals were sacrificed and the leftmaxillary molars extracted and ground in sterile tissue grinders with 3ml 0.1M PBS, pH 7.0. The colony count on ground teeth in which theanimals had been infected with the mutant isolate of the invention istabulated below:

    ______________________________________                                                    DILUTION                                                          ANIMAL        10.sup.-4 10.sup.-5                                                                              10.sup.-6                                    ______________________________________                                        4             36 (28)   4 (2)    0                                            5             19 (44)   1 (3)      0 (1)                                      6             67 (72)   6 (7)    0                                            ______________________________________                                         () = no. of revertant colonies/plate.                                    

The colony count on ground teeth from animals having been infected withStreptococcus mutans BHT-2 (str) is as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                    DILUTION                                                          ANIMAL        10.sup.-4 10.sup.-5 10.sup.-6                                   ______________________________________                                        5             177       22        4                                           7             166       26        7                                           8             188       21        3                                           ______________________________________                                    

After 14 weeks infection, five of the animals were sacrificed and theteeth were prepared for plating and scoring as earlier described.

The scores for these animals are as indicated below:

    __________________________________________________________________________    STRAIN    SULCAL                                                                              MORSAL                                                                              BUCCO-LINQUAL                                                                            PROXIMAL                                     __________________________________________________________________________         MEAN 119.57                                                                              2.0   73.0       21.43                                        BHT-2                                                                              S.D. 24.74 2.58  29.54      8.83                                              S.E. 9.35  0.98  11.16      3.38                                              MEAN 24.4  1.4   2.8        1.6                                          JH145                                                                              S.D. 7.23  1.67  4.14       2.6                                               S.E. 3.23  0.75  1.85       1.17                                         __________________________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________                                        T. TEST ON TOTAl CARIOUS                                                      LESIONS OF BHT-2 vs JH145                                                                                           T-Test                                  STRAIN     MEAN       S.D.     S.E.   Value                                   ______________________________________                                        BHT-2      216.00     40.82    15.43  9.19                                                                          sig.<                                   JH145      30.2       7.09     3.17   0.05%                                   ______________________________________                                    

These results indicate a highly (p<0.05%) significant-difference betweenBHT-2 and JH145 cariogenicity.

Unless otherwise specified, all reagents used in the practice of thisinvention were obtained from the Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, MO,and were the highest grade available. Auxiliary enzymes forspectrophotometric assays were obtained from Boehringer-Mannheim Corp.,New York, NY.

As many different embodiments of this invention will now have occurredto those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the specificembodiments of the invention as presented herein are intended by way ofillustration only and are not limiting on the invention, but that thelimitations thereon can be determined only from the appended claims.

What I claim is:
 1. A method for controlling the incidence and severityof dental caries comprising injection into the oral cavity of a hostsusceptible to dental caries a dental-caries-controlling amount of asuitable innoculum of an effector strain for Streptococcus mutans BHT-2(str).
 2. A method for controlling the incidence and severity of dentalcaries which method comprises introducing into the oral cavity of a hostsusceptible to dental caries a dental-caries-inhibiting amount of aneffector strain for the bacterium strain Streptococcus mutans whereinthe effector strain is a mutant strain having the characteristics ofbright red colonies when grown on glucose tetrazolium medium ofrelatively larger colony size than colonies of the parent strain grownon the same medium, spheroidal, gram positive cells occurring in pairsand chains and having a mutation in the structural gene for the enzyme,lactate dehydrogenase.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the mutantstrain isolated is characterized by a lack of detectable lactic acidwhen incubated in the presence of glucose.
 4. The method of claim 2wherein the mutant strain isolated is characterized by its relativelybetter adhesion to untreated and saliva-treated hydroxyapatite than saidparent strain.
 5. The method of claim 2 wherein the mutant strainisolated is characterized by its capacity to produce more plaque onglass slides and tooth enamel fragments than does the parent strain,when incubated in the presence of sucrose.
 6. The method of claim 2wherein the mutant strain isolated is characterized by its ability tometabolize a member from the group consisting of amygdalin, cellobiose,dextran, esculin, fructose, galactose, glucose, inulin, lactose,maltose, mannitol, mannose, melibiose, raffinose, ribose, salicin,sorbitol, sucrose, trehalose, and pyruvate, as evidenced by a relativelyhigher pH of cultures of the mutant strain compared to that of theparent strain when any of said members are incorporated in the culturemedium of the parent strain and the mutant strain.
 7. The method ofclaim 2 wherein the mutant strain is a biologically pure culture of themicroorganism Streptococcus mutans strain BHT-2 (str) being capable offunctioning as an effector strain for the parent strain in controllingthe incidence and severity of dental caries.
 8. The method of claim 2wherein a suitable innoculum of an effector strain for Streptococcusmutans strain BHT-2 (str) is injected into the oral cavity of the host.9. A method for controlling the incidence and severity of dental caries,which method comprises introducing into the oral cavity of a hostsusceptible to dental caries a dental-caries-inhibiting amount of aneffector strain for the bacterium strain Streptococcus mutans whereinthe effector strain is a mutant strain having the characteristics of:(a)bright red colonies when grown on glucose tetrazolium medium ofrelatively larger colony size than colonies of the parent strain grownon the same medium, spheroidal, gram positive cells occurring in pairsand chains and having a mutation in the structural gene for the enzyme,lactate dehydrogenase; (b) a lack of detectable lactic acid whenincubated in the presence of glucose; (c) relatively better adhesion tountreated and saliva-treated hydroxyapatite than said parent strain; (d)its capacity to produce more plaque on glass slides and tooth enamelfragments than does the parent strain, when incubated in the presence ofsucrose; and (e) its ability to metabolize a member from the groupconsisting of amygdalin, cellobiose, dextran, esculin, fructose,galactose, glucose, inulin, lactose, maltose, mannitol, mannose,melibiose, raffinose, ribose, salicin, sorbitol, sucrose, trehalose, andpyruvate, as evidence by a relatively higher pH of cultures of themutant strain compared to that of the parent strain when any of saidmembers are incorporated in the culture medium of the parent strain andthe mutant strain.
 10. A method for controlling the incidence andseverity of dental caries, which method comprises introducing into theoral cavity of a host susceptible to dental caries adental-caries-inhibiting amount of an effector strain for the bacteriumstrain Streptococcus mutans wherein the effector strain is a mutantstrain identified as Streptococcus mutans JH140.
 11. A method forcontrolling the incidence and severity of dental caries, which methodcomprises introducing into the oral cavity of a host susceptible todental caries a dental-caries-inhibiting amount of an effector strainfor the bacterium strain Streptococcus mutans wherein the effectorstrain is a mutant strain identified as Streptococcus mutans JH145.